FROM an early age Jen Littlejohn felt like she didn't belong.

Faced with a vicious circle of torment at the hands the bullies, the schoolgirl channelled the anger and upset that was building up inside on herself.

As her feelings of loneliness and despair heightened, Jen no longer wanted to live in a world where she felt she wasn't accepted so she made the decision to try to take her own life.

READ: 5 signs someone could be considering taking their life

But the now 35-year-old, from Stockton Heath, has bravely shared her story to mark World Suicide Prevention Day today, Monday.

Jen hopes her journey will help others who are concealing the struggles they are silently fighting inside and also act as a warning to those who are intent on causing harm through bullying.

"As a young child I always felt different to other children" said Jen, who hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues – a condition that is hard to detect in so many.

"I felt ugly and like I was just a number. If pairs were picked I was always the odd one out. If a team of four had to be picked I was the fifth person.

"I never felt good enough to be needed or wanted despite having a loving mum and a working dad.

"I would go to the school discos and feel like a freak. I tried to fit in but I was never actually wanted."

It was at the age of 17 when Jen started to really struggle following a break-up with her boyfriend.

Her insecurities about the way she looked continued to spiral out of control and she started to self-harm, forcing herself to be sick after each meal.

"I saw myself as manly hideous, wide and monstrous," said Jen.

"I constantly compared myself to every person I came across.

"I felt sick and worried constantly but I still put on a brave face.

"I felt like a prisoner inside my own body.”

In 2015, Jen decided she could no longer cope and tried to take her own life following the breakdown of her relationship – a decision she instantly regretted when she saw her mum's face.

"I knew I had to beat this and that I had to speak out," she said.

Jen sought professional help and started taking on physical challenges including a 10k run and a skydive on behalf of MIND – a charity that support people dealing with mental health issues.

Since then, Jen has faced one major setback after trying online dating.

"I started to harm myself and became suicidal again but this time I looked at my mum and thought no I am going to start living my life," she said.

"I cut off the people who no longer brought positivity into my life."

Jen had always dreamed of travelling so she packed her bags and headed off to Belgium.

"I started small – but it made me realise that I'm not worthless and I can do it alone,” said the lab technician, who is preparing to go and teach English in Vietnam.

"This spurred me on to do more travelling around the world.

"This, as well as surrounding myself with positive and caring people, saved my life."

After deciding to speak to the Warrington Guardian to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, Jen hopes to demonstrate how it is possible to start enjoying your life again.

While admittedly it took Jen a long time to accept this, she hopes that people will learn to accept themselves for who they are like she has finally been able to do.